Estonian foreign minister: NATO allies say Article 4 request an 'appropriate step'
Invoking NATO Article 4 is seen by allies as an appropriate response to Friday's Russian airspace incursion into Estonia, Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said.
Tsahkna said Saturday he has spoken with the U.S., other major NATO powers, as well as regional partners, adding all have clearly expressed their support and understanding of the situation.
"They've said that convening under Article Four was a completely appropriate step. The NATO Council will meet in the coming days. Right now, consultations are ongoing regarding the Eastern Sentry mission. That is being handled at the military level, and the outcome will become clear after the NATO deliberations," Tsahkna told ERR.
He also rejected claims that NATO has been slow to respond to Russian acts of provocation.
"NATO has responded appropriately. This is a very rare case — such a serious violation of NATO airspace. Article 4 has only been invoked eight times before. There's no reason to claim NATO isn't doing anything. NATO is acting exactly as agreed. While there was no direct military threat to Estonia, we absolutely do not accept Russia violating Estonian and NATO airspace," the foreign minister went on.
Tsahkna was unable to state exactly how many NATO fighter jets were scrambled on Friday in response to the incursion by three MiG-31 interceptor jets, close to Vaindloo island.
Some of this information is classified, he noted, adding: "It is true that Finland was the first to respond, in accordance with established NATO protocols. Then we took over, and our airspace is currently covered by the Italian air policing mission — so Italian fighters were dispatched. And Swedish jets were also airborne."
Italian Air Force F-35s flying from Ämari Air Base with the NATO Baltic Air Policing Mission intercepted the three MiGs on Friday, escorting them south to the Kaliningrad exclave.
The planes had been in Estonian airspace near Vaindloo for 12 minutes, considerably longer than the period of time seen in other recent Russian military jet incursions in Estonia. They had been heading in an east-west route, in the general direction of Tallinn.
Poland also requested Article 4 discussions last week following the large-scale Russian drone incursion.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte, Marko Tooming
